Selena's Father Sues Chris Perez And Endemol To Block TV Series About Her Life

Lawsuit claims Selena's husband Chris Perez (R) was unauthorized to publish To Selena With Love or option the rights to make a television series. (Image of book: courtesy Endemol. Photo of Perez: Rachel Murray/Getty Images for Latina Magazine)

Just weeks after Endemol Shine North America announced it would develop a television series about Tejano music queen Selena’s love story with her husband Chris Perez, the project faces a legal roadblock.

The late singer’s father, Abraham Quintanilla, Jr. on Friday filed a suit in a Texas court against Endemol and Perez to stop production of the series, alleging that only Selena’s estate has the right to her name, image and “to author or authorize and commercially exploit a book, play, video, film, TV movie” about her life.

Earlier this year, Endemol Shine signed a deal with Perez to adapt his best-selling book To Selena With Love, published in 2012, which tells the story of his romance with Selena from his perspective. Perez was married to the star from 1992 until she was murdered in 1995. She was only 23.

The suit states Perez is in violation of an Estate Properties Agreement he signed two months after her death in 1995. That agreement stipulates that Quintanilla, Jr. is the exclusive rights holder of all “Entertainment Properties,” which includes contract, trademark and copyright rights, rights to income, rights of publicity, rights to name, voice, signature, and photographs, among other rights, “throughout the world in perpetuity without restriction.”

According to the suit, Perez accepted the terms of the Estate Properties Agreement and in doing so, “agreed to receive, among other things, twenty-five percent (25%) of the net profits derived from the exploitation of the Entertainment Properties.”

That means that Perez’s book To Selena With Love, which includes a photo of the star on its cover, was published in breach of contract, and is considered “unauthorized.”

“The petition states Mr. Perez violated the Entertainment Properties agreement. He doesn't have the rights to publish a book or produce a television series based in any part on Selena,” says Quintanilla estate attorney Simran A. Singh. “Among other things, we are seeking a judicial declaration that the defendants have no right to exploit the series and stop production.”

The suit states that attorneys for the estate sent Endemol a cease and desist letter notifying the production and distribution company that Perez is unauthorized to option the rights to any stories related to Selena.

According to attorney Singh, Endemol “rejected the letter, didn’t inquire about the terms of the Estate Properties agreement from the Estate and said they would not refrain from production of the series.”

A source close to the production company acknowledges Endemol Shine received the letter and responded with "full denial to the claims," stating they would move forward with the project.

Technically, says Singh, any agreement they entered about the commercialization of a Selena-related story would be void. But a judge will have to determine that.

The suit was filed late in the afternoon, just before the weekend. Singh says none of the defendants have yet been served. They have 30 days after being served to respond to the complaint.

An Endemol Shine spokesperson said the company currently has no comment on the lawsuit.

The story was updated to include Endemol Shine's response to request for comment.

You can find more of Veronica's work covering the Hispanic media industry on MediaMoves.com.You can also check out her other stories and follow her on Forbes HERE.

I’m an Emmy award-winning multimedia journalist who has worked as a reporter, anchor, producer, columnist and writer for Spanish and English-language broadcast, print and online media, including Univision, Telemundo, Fox’s KTTV in L.A., and the San Jose Mercury News, before ...